Knights edge Kings in FIBL; Bombers win

MANILA, Philippines - The Knights clinched a playoff berth by edging the Kings, 87-83, in the first game of the 2010 FIBL Fil-India Cup last Sunday at the Makati Coliseum. 

Riding on Mukesh Mohnani’s heroics and Parmdeep Brar’s clutch three-point play, the Knights bagged their second consecutive win after starting the season with three straight setbacks.

Leading, 81-78, with exactly a minute to go in regulation, Mohnani drained a three-pointer to give his team a six-point lead, but Avin Chulani of the Kings countered with his own three-point shot to bring his team to within three with 54 seconds to play. 

The Kings had a chance to push the game into overtime but Jasjit Dhaliwal’s long shot from beyond the arc was way off, and Parmdeep Brar caught a pass from Mohnani, converting a short stab with a foul to boot, sealing the Kings’ fate.

Mohnani finished with 29 points with seven rebounds and a season-high nine assists, while last season’s Most Improved Player Ashwin Budhrani contributed 16 points.

In the second game, Ravi Gurnamal led the Bombay Bombers in a come-from-behind win over the Blue Sharks, 69-67. Up by just one, RJ Chandumal found himself beleaguered by a thick Blue Shark defense but Gurnamal was just on time to follow up the shot that put the Bombers up by three, 65-62, exactly two minutes left in regulation.

With standout Rookie RJ Chandumal in a rare off-night, the Bombers banked on Gurnamal and Gangwani. With 1:24 remaining, Gangwani came up with a clutch play, making a short stab to push the lead to five that sent the Bombay Bombers’ fans up on their feet.